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WATER IN MINING
Future Water >> Australian Water Management Yearbook >> 107
SENSEI offers a solar-powered solution for off-the-grid
applications, and can be integrated with existing third-party
systems or devices.
‘ We can customise the software and hardware by adding or
removing features so it suits our customers’ purpose and needs,’
Caruso says.
In partnership with Heathgate Resources, Boss Resources and
National Energy Resources Australia (NERA), CSIRO is trialling 10
SENSEI sensor packs at Heathgate’s Four Mile West uranium mine,
situated in far-north South Australia.
‘ The objective is to test the sensors in controlled conditions
alongside current manual monitoring techniques and with
government support – subject to it all going well – have it
recognised it as an approved or best-practice technology,’
says Heathgate Resources HSSE Regulatory and Compliance
Superintendent Kathryn Levingstone. ‘ If the first trial phase is
successful, 16 more sensor packs will be deployed in April 2019. It
will be a 12-month trial that will give us a really good indication of
how the sensors are working,’ Caruso says.
‘ We are already receiving measurements from the wells, so
that’s given us confidence we’re measuring and collecting data,
which is exciting.’
Because staff no longer need to manually take, transport and
analyse samples, or enter and report data, SENSEI will reduce
operational costs and help Australian mining companies be more
globally competitive.
‘ The uranium market is in quite a tight place,’ Levingstone says.
‘Some of our overseas counterparts can produce uranium via ISR
methods at a much more competitive price, due to lower costs and
less rigorous regulatory standards.’
SENSEI sensors are also easier and cheaper to maintain than their
current counterparts.
‘ With a standard commercial pH electrode, you need to calibrate
and do general maintenance – like cleaning and topping it up
with solution – on a daily basis,’ Caruso says. ‘ Whereas, our solid-
state pH electrode is fine for months with no daily maintenance
once calibrated.’
The sensors are more stable and have a significantly longer
lifespan than other sensors in harsh environments, thanks to
the unique solid-state electrodes, construction materials and
specialised, Australian-designed casing and electronics.
According to SENSEI’s co-inventors, CSIRO scientists Miao Chen
and Mikko Vepsalainen, a traditional pH electrode is not designed
to be embedded inside wells at depths of 100 to 200 metres. But,
SENSEI’s stable reference electrode allows its sensors to operate
for extended periods with little signal drift. The cases are also highly
acid-resistant and can withstand the pressures at these well depths.
SENSEI’S STABLE REFERENCE
ELECTRODE ALLOWS ITS SENSORS
TO OPERATE FOR EXTENDED
PERIODS WITH LITTLE SIGNAL DRIFT.
THE CASES ARE ALSO HIGHLY
ACID-RESISTANT AND CAN
WITHSTAND THE PRESSURES AT
THESE WELL DEPTHS.
CSIRO’s SENSEI team at the deployment at Heathgate Resources